Valve device



y 6, 950 G. K. NEWELL 2,508,185

' VALVE DEVICE Filed Aug 30, 1944 INVENTOR GEORGE KNEWELL BY lzfziiulzATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1950 VALVE DEVICE George K. Newell, nearPitcairn, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse AinBrake Company,Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 30,1944, Serial No. 551,791

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a fluid pressure control device and moreparticularly to a valve device of the type for releasing fluid underpressure from a charged chamber or other volume.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a novel valve deviceof the above mentioned type for initiating the venting of fluid underpressure from a chamber or conductor and which is responsive to a forcecreated by the flow of fluid from the conductor to reduce the fluidpressure in the chamber or conductor to a selected low value, the valvedevice functioning automatically to close off the flow of fluid fromsaid chamber or conductor when the pressure of fluid therein has beenreduced to said selected low value.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following description.

1 In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a valvedevice constructed in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 is alateral section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, this valve device comprises a body I havingformed therein a chamber 2 connected to a fluid pressure conductor 3,and containing a valve 4 supported by a spring 5 which is carried by acap nut 6 having screw threaded connection with the body I. The valve Iengages a seat member 4' and is for the purpose of controllingcommunication through a passage I provided in a wall 8 of the body,which wall separates the chamber 2 from a chamber 9 formed in the bodyby a cover I9 having screw threaded connection with thebody.

The valve 4 is provided with a fluted stem II which projects throughpassage I into chamber 9, there being a plurality of flutes provided inthe stem as shown in Fig. 2. Secured to the end of stem H within chamber9 is a coaxially arranged disc I2, which may be circular in form and isspaced away from wall 8. One or more ports or openings I3 lead fromchamber 9 to the atmosphere, said ports oropenings being protected fromentry of dirt, insects, etc. by a skirt I4 on the cover I9. This skirtis spaced from the body I and extends across the openings.

Disposed above the valve stem II and in axial The other end of plungerI5 is provided with a hand button I6 for manual operation.

Interposed between and o'peratively engaging the button I6 and anexterior surface of the cover I0 is a spring I! for normally urging theplunger I5 to th position in which it is shown on the drawing, that is,out of engagement with the valve stem II. A disc I8 is secured to theinner end of the plunger I5 for engagement with the cover III to preventWithdrawal of the plunger from the cover. With the plunger out ofengagement with the valve stem I I the spring 5 acting against the valve4 maintains it seated, closing communication from the chamber 2 tchamber 9.

Operation Let it be assumed that theconductor 3 is connected to achamber or the like containing fluid under pressure and that it isdesired to release the fluid under pressure from said chamber. Toaccomplish this, the plunger I5 will be depressed into engagement withthe valve stem I l and then actuated to force the valve 4 from its seat.With the valve 4 open, fluid under pressure will then flow fromconductor 3 and the connected chamber or the like (not shown), andchamber 2, past said valve to chamber 9 and thence to the atmosphere.When the valve is being opened by the operation of plunger I5, the discI2 is moved in the direction of Wall 8 and the fluid under pressurereleased past the valve then flows through the space between the discand the wall to the atmosphere. This flow of fluid under pressure willcreate a reduction in pressure on an area under the disc and adjacentthe valve stem to a pressure below the opposing atmospheric pressureabove the disc, thereby creating a force upon the disc which will act tohold the valve open against the opposing force of spring 5 and thepressure of fluid in chamber 2 acting upon the valve. The plunger I5 maytherefore be released and returned to its normal position upon theopening of the valve 4.

The position which the disc I2 and the valve 4 will assume, with respectto the wall 8, as just described, will depend substantially upon thedegree of reduction in pressure below atmosphere on the area under thedisc above mentioned.

- This reduction in pressure on the under side of disc I2 will in turnvary in proportion to the velocity of fluid under pressure flowing outof the end of the bore I into the space between the disc I2 and the wall8. This velocity of fluid flow in turn will depend upon and vary inproportion to the capacity of the valve and stem to release fluid underpressure from chamber 2 through the bore I as well as the pressure inthe said chamber. This flow will also reduce as pressure of fluid in thechamber 2 reduces and may also vary accordon the disc I2 to hold thevalve open against the force of spring 5 and the pressure in chamber 2acting upon the said valve, whereupon the valve will close.

The degree of force obtained for holding the valve open will also varyaecordingeto thearea of disc [2 so that a relatively large'disc willholdthe valve 4 open until the pressure in chamber 2' is reduced to a lowerdegree-than lithe area of the disc were less. It will therefore be seenthat the structure may be designed to automatically close and retain anydesired pressure.

While this valve: devicehasbeen-described as being'manually operated, itmay also; be used in other locations: where its: operation is automatically initiated. Such. an installation, for eX-'- ample, might be. inconnection with roadside signal apparatus for-the controlof railwaytrains or thelike, where a momentary force canibe'applied-to thevalve;by anzohjectalongithe right of way Having: now' -described my invention;what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A valve device-comprising a casing having a pressure-chamberand a.vent port connecting-said chamber to; a fiat surface on saidcasingforre-- one side and the periphery of Which is constantly.

subjectto substantially atmospheric, pressure and said disc being.operative upon' a ,suflicient reduction in pressure on its oppositeside below atmospheric pressure on the oneside to hold said valve open,means connectinggsaid valve tosaid disc and disposing said discssubstantially coaxial with said vent port and with said opposite sideparallel to said flat casing surface and so spaced from said surface asto provide between said surface and said opposite side of said disc arelatively restricted fluid flow communication from said vent port tothe periphery of said disc whereby the pressure *on' said opposite sideof said-idisc will be reduced below that on saidone side to-a degreeproportional to the rate of venting of fluid through said vent port.

2. A vent valve device comprising a casing having a valve chamberadapted to receive fluid underpressure, andzalso having a smooth surface1'5- of'substantial area exposed to atmosphere and a passage-wayconnecting said valve chamber to saidsurface-for releasing fluid underpressure from said chamber to atmosphere over said surface, a valve insaid chamber for controlling flow of fluid from said chamber throughsaid passage, a stem' for said valve extending through. said passage'withthe endopposite: said valve disposed beyond said surface, .a.member attached to the end of said stem opposite-said valve" and havinga surface spaced'apartfrom, parallelto'and adjacent said smooth.surface, and means for 'actu ating said stem-tounseatsaidwalve.

GEORGE: K; NEWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of'record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 371,075 Klein Oct. 4, 18871,168,415 Pullen' Jan; 18, 1916 2,138,125 Schultz Nov. 29, 1938 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 402,204 France of 1909 526,415 France of1921

